Some weeks ago, just before Christmas I went to London and was walking along the road towards The British Library. I noticed a hooded figure lighting up a cigarette in a corner, small, covered in black jacket with a hoodie.

I walked on and then heard a wailing from behind me. There were great crowds of people and no-one else seemed to notice this distressing call from behind, saying, ” No, you can’t go there, that’s my pitch. Get out! It’s mine, I have it from Big Issue, it’s mine!”

A much larger man was in her space by the wall. He was not giving it up either despite emany wails, hits and tears!

I carried on to the library and had a coffee.

When I came out, it was nearly dark. There by the side of the road was my little figure, squatting on the road, cigarette in mouth, tears down her face, on the phone talking to someone about her problem.

Now, why I walked past a second time, I just don’t know! Please don’t remind me of the story of The Good Samaritan!

So, a month later, Jan 16th, I was walking back along the same piece of road in the dark. And yes, there was my girl, in her own pitch, in her claimed place on the streets of London, not selling Big Issue, but fast asleep, with a mountain of sleeping bags, wrappers, newspapers and other stuff. She looked about 16.

At least she was still with us, and I’m sure or I pray for the certainty, that other rough sleepers keep an eye on her, or maybe the local homeless charity or Camden borough.

Four weeks of preparation and getting ready! That’s a long time even for those, like me who are not that organised, all those endless jobs that need doing before Christmas are sitting in my lists, staring at me every day!

I met with a friend this week who has everything done and finished, just waiting now for Christmas to arrive! At first that seems wonderful but what would Christmas be like if we had it all completed before we had even started?

So, I give myself permission to remain unorganised, have many jobs left to do, and presents to wrap. But in the midst of that I hope to meet friends along the way to share time with, to see sparkling lights brightening the dark skies, to think of just how lucky we are and to find a time each day to thank God for the arrival of his son Jesus into the world over 2000 years ago.

A prayer…

Slow down Advent, and take time to look inwards at our hopes and fears, to look outwards at a world in need of hope and to look Godward confidant in his love and committment to the world.

One hundred years ago the Armistice was signed between the Allies of World War 1 and the German Empire. The cessation of hostilities took effect at 11.00 am on 11th November 1918.

This year marks the centenary and Remembrance Day is commemorated across the UK.

In our Benefice on Norfolk, we held two main services with packed churches and two minutes silence at 11.00am. Even the traffic stopped on the road for us this year. In the evening two large bonfires were held and again huge numbers of people gathered to watch and the church bells rang out at 6.50pm to join in across the UK.

This was followed by singing the old songs and enjoying a glass of wine and some cakes and listening to stores of people from our village who went to war and never returned.

The first verse of the poem by Rupert Brooke, written in 1914, is a reminder of that time and the young men who gave their lives in the trenches in France and Belgium.

Jesus had left the disciples behind for a while and they had found him on the other side of the lake, Lake Galilee is very large so it would have taken some time to have found him.

You know those times when you just fancy a few minutes on your own to have a coffee or to have time with your thoughts, and then someone comes along and finds you.

And then what do they do, they invariably ask you a question.

The disciples did the same with Jesus, “When did you come here?”

Jesus had just performed the miracle of making the five loaves and two fishes feed a crowd of five thousand.

Presumably he had slipped away when the disciples were busy handing out the food, everyone was hungry.

Jesus doesn’t answer directly to the question from the disciples, that was not the important question. The answer that Jesus gave was about bread, but not just the bread that we eat with fish, but about the bread of life…

The Woman who touched Jesus, Healing of the Woman with a Haemorrhage. Mark 5: 21-end

Who touched me?

In a crowd of people, Jesus asks who touched my clothes?

Have you ever been in a crowd of people, with people getting far too close, squashing in from all directions, crowds can be very unsettling anyway.

The disciples said to Jesus, “You see the crowd pressing in on you, how can you say, who touched me?”

How often do we sense that feeling of connectedness? But do ever do anything about it? Not that we ever have the power to perform such miracles. But every day occurrences leave us with a chance to make a difference.

I was ordained priest 9 years ago on 4th July 2009 at Norwich Cathedral. My first celebration of the Eucharist was at All Saint’s Church Ashwicken. Today, 9 years later I celebrated Eucharist on 1st July 2018, at All Saint’s Church with a wonderful group of people. Amazing!!

Time for a celebration drink and prayers for all the blessings received and the places I have been in the last 9 years.

To Peter and disciples, Please all meet together on Sunday in Jerusalem at the Feast of Weeks. There will be people from many different countries speaking in many languages. More information to follow.

Email from peter@fishermen.galilee Many thanks but can you give more info please about where, when and what. We have been in upstairs rooms for quite a while now.

Email from office@heaven.central All will be revealed when you get there. No need for further info,if you really feel in need then visit

Preaching at St Paul’s, the Precentor of St Paul’s, Canon Michael Hampel suggested that Paddington’s story was a “kind of parable…. The wisdom of the world is turned on its head and a refugee bear who is accident prone and clearly very different from everyone else around him came to exemplify a very different kind of wisdom. It’s one that says being different is ok: that being cast adrift in the world requires the human response of rescue and that accidents happen, because we are all human.”

Some phrases in there…

A kind of parable,

The wisdom of the world is turned on its head

A refugee bear… is clearly very different from everyone else

Exemplifies a different kind of wisdom

Being cast adrift requires a human response

And accidents happen because we are all human (although Paddington was actually a bear!)

Thomas and the disciples were all human, so like us believing without seeing is often hard.

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Pilgrimages

To be a pilgrim is to follow, or to be in the footsteps of other Christians.

It is setting out on the road, to travel or to wander, a journey through life.A famous place for pilgrimage in the UK is Walsingham and to the shrine of Our Lady .

Faith Links

Thought for the Day BBC Radio 4

Every weekday on the Today programme, a speaker gives a few minutes summary on issues and relates these to faith and moral view points.
Speakers from many faith backgrounds give interesting perspectives and it's great to listen to at the start of the day .Read more here...

Acts 435

A new charity, recently launched by the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu.

Working to give donations directly from the charity web site to those in need of help.

The charity derives its title and mission from Acts 4:35 - ...and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need'.